Blue Monday
by TheResurrectionist
Summary: Outside!POV on Wincest. Au Dean is the Principal, Sam is the school psychologist. Rated M for homphobia and swearing. It's Wincest, people! Fair warning. LAST PART IS UP. Now a future!fic?
1. Chapter 1

A/N First off, I think this was one of my favorite stories to write. No offenses were meant in this piece. Homophobia is a serious issue.

Liked the story? Leave me a review!

* * *

Blue Monday

"Shhh." The boy next to Eric whispered. "Put that away, Miller will see you!"

He ignored the other boy and kept texting the girl he'd met last week, looking enough often enough for the teacher to glance at him without suspicion.

It'd been two weeks since he'd arrived at this high school, and it would be another two before he left again. It was just that way. He didn't care whether he got in trouble or not.

The teacher carried on in a droning voice, explaining something about the Qing Dynasty while Eric texted away under the table, thankful the teacher was as blind as a mole rat.

The chick he was texting (what was her name again?) sent him a quick text that made his face light up.

_Wanna meet up outside?_

Sure, he texted back, glancing up at the front of the room to see if he had any chance of grabbing the bathroom pass.

As luck would have it, it sat right in the table next to the door, and when Miller turned around to write something on the board, he surreptitiously grabbed the pass and escaped to the freedom of the hallway, passing the annoying kid on the way out.

"Where are you going?" The kid hissed at him, and c'mon, what was with it with all these prude kids? _Live a little, Jesus. _He thought.

Once outside, he ducked around the corner into the men's bathroom and texted the girl back, sitting on the toilet seats in one of the stalls.

Where?

His phone buzzed a few seconds later.

_Janitor's closet_ was the reply.

He tucked his phone into his pocket and tried to remember where he'd seen a janitor's closet. Down the hall, maybe?

He walked down the hallway quickly, trying to find it without looking like he was skipping class.

Not that he'd care if he got caught, but he'd rather make out with a chick than back sass another boring ass principal. Didn't they all know they were the same, disgusting show every time? Rules this, jurisdictions that.

He had just turned the corner when he almost ran into a giant, wall of muscle slamming into his shoulders as he bounced off if something humongous.

"Whoa." He said, looking up a little, which was saying something considering Eric was about six foot on a good day.

The man in front of him was wearing a white button down shirt, contrasting sharply with his tanned skin. Brown hair curled around his temples, falling over glasses that made the man's hazel eyes seem even sharper. Eric gasped a little as the man smiled, broad dimples making him think of his brother for some reason.

"Eric?" The tall man asked, smiling down at him through his glasses.  
"That's me." Eric said, shuffling a little. He hated when people made him feel small, even if this one looked harmless.

Okay, not harmless, he thought, remembering the wall of muscle he'd bounced off of.

"Sorry about that." The man said, grabbing a sheet of paper from his pocket. "I'm the school psychologist. Miller reported you were out of class and suggested you go to the principal's office."

Eric smirked. "Suggested?"

Sam smiled a little as if to say _what can I do?_

"Also, since when do they send shrinks to take kids to Daddy's office?" He asked the Doctor shrewdly; glad he knew some of the rules.

The man laughed instead of looking irritated, pissing off Eric to no end.

"Budget cuts." He said humorously. "And to talk about your record." The man glanced down at his paper, brow furrowing.

"It says here you've been in and out of twelve schools in the last five years, with suspensions in all of them. Even the one you only stayed in for a week." He glanced at Eric, and he got the impression this man was smarter than he let go.

"Care to explain that?"

Eric scuffed his shoe, uncomfortable in the middle of the hallway.

"Nope."

The man nodded, rubbing his hand along the side of his jeans absently. "Then we'll just go on our original trip. By the way, my name is Sam."

He waved his hand forward, and Eric had to walk a little faster to keep up with the man. What was he, six eight? Jesus.

Sam navigated the hallways with an effortless grace, long legs moving swiftly through hallways Eric didn't even know existed.

The office was located in a large corner of the first floor of the school, a room full of desks and copiers with other offices leading off down a hallway to the right.

Sam pushed his way past the office door, waving at the secretary as he passed her desk.

"Sam!" The woman yelled at him. "He's doing it again. Can't you calm him down or something?"

Sam stopped, holding a hand out for Eric to pause as well, gold ring flashing on his left hand.

He regarded the woman like he would a mother, hanging his head a little, even if he was laughing a little.

Who were they talking about? Another student?

Sam shook his head, a small smile playing about his face.

"Isn't that your job, Ellen?" He asked her playfully, taking a step back when she stood to her full height, pointing at Sam with a scary sharp-looking finger.

The woman frowned at Sam, harsh mouth contrasting with the amused look in her eyes. "Not if he runs himself into the ground. He won't even eat lunch!"

Eric ignored this mostly. They were always talking about silly office gossip, who did what in the filing room and such. He didn't care if some guy wasn't eating lunch or something.

Sam nodded like he knew this already. "It's just this week, Ellen. We'll handle it. Now, I've got a student to escort, if you don't mind."

He stated mock seriously, tapping Eric on the shoulder.

She smiled briefly at him as he passed, making him feel like shivering.

They continued down the hallway, passing full offices as they made their way to the large office at the end of the hall with the words "Winchester" on the side of the door in bold print.

Sam tapped on the door lightly, shifting his papers to his other hand while he waited.

"Yeah?" A voice growled out.

"It's Sam." The tall psychiatrist said. "I've got the kid you wanted, Eric."

"Come in." Winchester said.

Sam opened the door and led Eric in, placing him in a seat in the front of the room.

The office had one if the best views of the of the whole school, tall windows curving around a large wooden desk like windows in a church, light shining through strongly as Eric took his seat.

Bookshelves lined the room, along with several diplomas. Small pictures sat on the Principal's desk, too distant for Eric to make out.

A young looking man sat in the desk, dark suit contrasting with Sam's white shirt, looking expensive and perfectly put together. A gold ring was on his left hand, glinting in the sun behind him.

He had piercing green eyes, perfect for a principal, and golden blonde hair cut short, almost military-like.

This must be Dr. Winchester.

"Eric?" The man asked, leaning forward, hand outstretched. "I'm Dr. Winchester. I'm sure you've already put together that I'm the principal." He said in a low voice, eyes calculating Eric's every move.

"Yes, Sir." He said, not intimidated at all by the man. He nodded.

Winchester's face didn't change. "And you've met the other Doctor?" He asked, gesturing to Sam, who'd been standing in the back of the room.

"Yes, Sir." He repeated, staring the man straight in the eyes. Two could play at this game. It sure as hell wasn't his first time in an intimidating office.

"Good." Winchester said, gathering some papers from a printer as they came out of the machine. "Then you're aware why I called you to my office?"

"Sam said you wanted to discuss my record." Eric stated, glancing briefly at the Psychologist. The other man winked.

Winchester clasped his hands together and took a breath.

"You have a long history of going in and out of schools, Eric." Winchester started, looking Eric intently in the eyes.

"You also have numerous suspensions on your record, ranging from fighting to graffiti, the majority of them being, as one school psychologist put it, 'Attacks on the emotions of other students due to appearances, religions and sexual orientation.'"

Eric's eyes flicked down to his record, memories of that one line from Avengers rippling through his head.

_"There's too much red in my ledger. I gotta wipe it out, gotta wipe it all out."_

_"I'm sorry. No one can wipe out that much red."_

Dean threw the paper on the desk between them, eyeing Eric like a problem he had to fix.

"Now, I can't expel you. As a high school in this city, I'm not legally allowed to 'Unaccept' you because of a few reports of bullying. As much as I would like to, I cannot. This is where Sam comes in."

He paused, eyes letting Eric know he was serious.

Damn it. Eric hated these kinds of principals, the ones who wouldn't let you get a word in edgewise.

This man was smart.

"Sam is going to discuss with you our policy on bullying and other offenses you've committed in the past. Judging by your record, you don't spend a lot of time in one place, meaning you'll probably move on too late for anyone to punish you."

Winchester sighed, small lines forming around his mouth.

"However, I want you to understand that no bullying is accepted here, regardless of your vacation time in our facility. Am I understood, Eric?"

Eric nodded numbly, not meeting the man's eyes anymore. He felt like he'd been run over by the mean end of a truck. No one had thrown everything of his into the open like that before.

Everything was there. The names, the bullying reports. He could even see the restraining order one of the young men from that one school had filed.

Jesus.

Sam's voice rumbled from behind him, shocking but calm.

"Eric, if you'll come with me." He said, gesturing for the boy to follow him.

Winchester's eyes seemed to follow him as he walked. He couldn't see the man, but he was pretty sure there would be twin green holes in the back of his shirt if he checked later.

* * *

They made their way down the hallway again, but instead of exiting the office, Sam turned them into a medium sized office a couple doors down.

"My casa." Sam murmured humorously as they walked in, pointing to the plush looking blue couch off to the side of the office.

"You can sit there, Eric."

Instead of sitting behind his desk and pulling the "Oh look at my intimidating face, this is my office" card, Sam grabbed a chair and twirled it backwards, sitting on it gracefully as he stared at Eric quietly.

"Why'd you do it?" He asked after a moment of silence, words a lot more causal than Winchester's.

"I mean, you're not an openly vicious person." Sam went on. "But you've already gotten in trouble twice here, and it's only been a few weeks."

Eric tried to shift on the couch, twirling his fingers around as he searched for an answer that would satisfy the man.

He couldn't find one.

_Stupid fags,_ he heard his Dad saying in his head. _They're dirty. Don't even look at them, son. Spit on them if you have to._

Sam seemed to recognize Eric's failure and placed a hand on Eric's, startling the younger man.

"Did you know that homophobia is rooted in families?" Sam asked perceptively. "If one of your family members exposes you to their hate, you grow up the same way."

Eric shook his head. "I didn't know that." He croaked out, hating that his voice was so weak.

It made sense now, he guessed. His Dad, him. Them.

Sam nodded. "Happened to a lot of people I know. They get afraid, nervous, even angry sometimes. And it's all buried deep inside of them, twined in with their very person."

The psychologist cracked his knuckles, unfairly letting his words hang there.

"Now, most kids who come into this office come because of something that happened to them. Because of people like you who bully them consistently, even daily. But what most people forget is that most bullies are victims too."

Sam paused again, tilting his head at Eric like he already had him figured out.

"Why do you bully people, Eric?" He asked again, question meaning a lot more than it did when his record wasn't everywhere, when this man with wide hazel eyes and a peaceful demeanor wasn't brining up dark topics.

"I don't, like, bully them." Eric said, denying the truth like he always, but knowing the lie wouldn't hold up to the Doctor.

"Uh huh?" Asked Sam, leaning forward on the seat like a child.

Eric wrung his hands. The man totally didn't call him on his bullshit like a lot of people would have.

"It's just, they're so wrong, you know?"

Sam frowned. "Who?"

Eric waved his hands. "Them. The gay people."

He noticed Sam's face darken a little, but the man kept listening.

"What's wrong with them, Eric?" Sam asked, hazel eyes not as piercing as Winchester's, but twice as effective.

They were wide open, like you could tell him anything, pour your heart out and have this man put it back together for you.

Eric shook his head. "They just make me feel so, I dunno, creeped out." Yeah, that was a smart, eloquent answer.

"What's wrong with people loving freely?" Sam asked, face open.

Eric shrugged, considering it. "Nothing, I guess."

"Then why does it make you uncomfortable?"

"It doesn't."

"You just said it did."

Eric frowned again, glancing at the windows behind the couch. "I guess I was wrong. Sorry, Doc."

Sam tilted his head again, tapping his fingers slowly along the side of the blue chair.

"Are you gay, Eric?" The psychologist asked suddenly, eyes soft when Eric whirled around to face him.

"What?" He croaked out, terrified.

"I said, are you gay?" Sam repeated slowly, face open and honest.

Eric huffed. "How can you even ask me that?" He asked, getting up from the couch angrily. "You're just some damn shrink."

Sam's face didn't change. "Eric, calm down."

Eric slammed the desk with his hand. "The hell I won't!" he said, tears blurring his vision slightly.

He stormed out, but the tears blinded him before he could make it past Sam's door.

He crumpled against the door, events of the last few months catching up to him as he sat down hard outside of the tall man's office,

His dad would've smacked him by now, screaming about tears being a sign of weakness.

He was so tired of being weak.

Sam watched him through the doorway, face unreadable as Eric wept.

When Eric looked up again, the man had disappeared, presumably at his desk.

Eric spent that time calming down, wiping his face with his sleeve as he counted the number of things in the hallway.

That game had always calmed him down quickly, even when he was a child.

One flickering light, ten offices. Five on each side of the hallway. Two carts with books on them. Ten nametags for each doorway.

Eric looked at them all, names calming in a way that could only be described as OCD.

_Alina Page, Suzanne Kneter, Peter Randall, Max Quinn, Tom Wells _and so forth.

The other side read about the same.

_Jane Salander, John Rudin, Ellen Waters, Sandy Costigan, Sam Winchester-_

Wait. Sam _Winchester?_

He was staring at the nametag, but it still didn't make sense. Sam and Dean were related?

He was still staring in shock when Sam found him out there five minutes later.

He blurted it out. "You and Dean are brothers?" he asked.

Sam laughed, eyes twinkling. "No, Eric." He said, raising an eyebrow.

Eric frowned. "You just happen to share a last name?" he asked.

Sam shook his head. "Eric, Dean and I are married." He said seriously, holding up his left hand, gold ring twinkling.

Eric realized he'd seen a ring just like it on Winchester's hand.

"Dean?" He asked, wrinkling his nose.

Sam smiled. "Teachers actually have first names too, ya know." He said jokingly.

Eric was still in shock. "You married….Winchester?"

Sam smiled. "You make it sound so terrible."

"It's just…..he's so…mean!"

That made Sam break into full out chuckles. "He's better when you get to know him." He said simply, a small look of adoration passing over his face.

Was that what love looked like?

Sam stood him up, taking him back into his office. He grabbed a picture off the side of his desk, handing it to Eric.

"That was our honeymoon five years ago." Sam said, smiling at the picture.

Winchester had his arm wrapped around Sam, the two of them looking ten years younger, looks of adoration and happiness smoothing out lines on their faces.

Eric traced the photo slightly with his finger, trying to understand how someone could look this happy.

"Do you regret it?" He asked, surprised at the question.

Sam shook his head. "No, not at all."

Eric nodded, placing the photo back on the desk, unsure of what to do with himself.

Sam seemed to notice, like he always did, and gestured with his head. "I guess we should get you back to class."

Eric followed him out, watching closer this time as Sam walked through the office.

Everyone he passed seemed to smile a little, not even looking up but enjoying the man's presence. Ellen looked up again at Sam, question on the tip of her tongue.

"He's fine, Ellen," Sam said, and Eric recognized the expression on Sam's face now. It was protective. "I'll get him to eat something later, too. No worries."

Ellen nodded at him, worried face disappearing as Sam calmed her mother-bear instincts.

The tall Doctor walked out of the office with Eric in tow, strides even and patient, walking a lot slower than the first time.

After they were almost back to Miller's boring ass history class, Sam turned to Eric.

"Now, I'm going to send you back into the magical world of real life. It's a scary place, Eric." He said half seriously. "But I wish you luck. Most psychologists would give you a saying or mantra to repeat, something about treating everyone equally. But I'm not going to."

The taller man seemed to stand up straighter.

"Good luck, Eric." Sam said. "I hope life gets better for you."

With that the man turned and started to walk down the hallway.

"Wait," Eric called out. Sam stopped and turned around, face questioning.

Eric spoke. "You don't want to know….why?" He asked the man, hoping his powers of perception would translate his oh-so-eloquent statement.

Sam smiled and shook his head. "One day, Eric. You call me up, and we'll talk. But first,"

He tapped his watch. "You've got school to catch up on."

Eric smiled a little at that and watched Winchester walk away, only ducking into the class when he couldn't see the man anymore.

* * *

A/N The end! Maybe? Leave me a review?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N So, surprise sequel! Thank you so much for your reviews and PMs. Thanks especially to kuramalover011 for their awesome support, and numerous thanks to my amazing beta. I would be lost without you!

* * *

Eric didn't see Sam or Dean after that. Years passed, fights came and went. New schools were like a new razor, you got one every once and a while but didn't really care. Eric didn't care. He liked to think he was impenetrable, but sometimes he'd roll over and remember those two men.

He put it out of his mind, left that school a week later and didn't look back. It was as simple as that; him and his dad on the road again, rock blaring from the speaker as he tried not to notice the whiskey on his dad's breath.

It didn't really matter, anyway. A couple kind words here and there were nothing after a life of insults. He hated to think about it, shoved the smile and knowing hazel eyes into the back of his mind. Locked up any kind of future real tight like his Dad did, ignoring any dreams.

Dad was got worse over the months after that, landing himself in the hospital one night after a drunken brawl with some other men. When they called him to the room, Eric just sat next to his father's bed and sighed. He didn't talk to him, didn't hold his hand tightly and weep, letting out secrets untold as he pleaded for the older man to wake up.

He just waited.

Waiting wasn't something Eric liked a whole lot, either, but back then he'd felt like there was nothing better. No judging, no disapproving eyes watching his every move. He could sit and breathe, and for the one week his dad was in a coma, Eric relaxed. Even the guilt disappeared.

His dad woke up later, and they were back on the road again like nothing had happened. Eric forgot about his week of peace pretty quickly once he got to his newest school, throwing on a tough face like always as he walked in.

He didn't think about the two men then, either, and if the psychologist at that school seemed disappointing, he didn't notice or care.

After a few years on the road, after Eric graduated high school (like anyone cared) Eric's dad died from liver cancer. He'd never gotten a chance to tell Eric what the point was, why they had a life on the road. It wasn't like there something they needed to find, to finish out there. He felt like he should be asking questions, searching for long lost friends of his dad's and prying the reason out of them.

But, the eternal road trip had ended, and he forgot about his questions by the time he left the funeral.

He hadn't shed a tear.

He settled down after that in a small town in the summer he turned twenty one. Found a small apartment and a job as a waiter at the nice restaurant down the corner. The pay wasn't great, like always, but living on the road had always been sparse. It wasn't too different.

A couple years later, he ended up owning the place, surprising him greatly. It was a nice little restaurant, and the constant work kept his mind off of everything.

By then, he'd just about forgotten about Sam and Dean, and part of him even forgot about the box he'd locked them up in.

He didn't forget what Sam had said, though. On a deeper level, part of him knew those words were true. Small towns frowned on gays, so he didn't date. When customers asked him where his girl was, he just smiled and brushed them off, spinning a lie about long distance relationships.

They just nodded and went on with their day, choosing to believe something a lot of them knew wasn't true. It angered Eric sometimes, how people in this town wrapped themselves up in lies, so sure it was the truth that all they could do was smile.

He met Neil a few years after he'd started owning the restaurant. A slender, brown haired man had walked in one day, smiling in a way that was so different from everyone else's that Eric smiled back for the first time in a while.

Neil was soft spoken; a history teacher from a few towns over. He was smart, everything Eric wasn't, and the kind man and him talked for hours. They'd met when Eric had taken over as the waiter (Luke had gone home sick that night) and got Neil's table.  
Was it love at first sight? Maybe. Eric wouldn't know, had never really experienced love before. Neil flirted almost shyly, but when Eric responded, the other man's courage grew. They ended up sharing stories and jokes, and Eric felt warmth for the first time in this almost frigid town. They sat across from each other long after the dinner rush had ended, with the two of them just talking.

He eventually had to close, apologizing to the other man forlornly. Neil just smiled and handed him a slip of paper with his number on it, walking out of the restaurant with a small smile on his face.

Eric didn't let him get to his car.

They had to be careful, especially after Neil moved into Eric's larger apartment, but after a while they didn't really care. They didn't have a lot of friends in either of their towns, and while what they were wasn't liked, they had each other.

Eric could write a list of things that were amazing about that first year together. Time moved fast and slow in shifts, and Neil's blue eyes were the kindest to him, always open and simple in a dejavu like way that made Eric's head spin.

His favorite thing about Neil was the guitar he played in the mornings when he thought Eric was asleep.

He knew his father would hate him for living like this and loving another man, but he ignored those thoughts. It was just how he lived these days; the old man took up space in his head, but Neil was in his hands and that was all right.

The soft parts of morning were welcomed by quiet strums, and if Eric was lucky, a soft song from Neil. He had a amazing voice, soft and resonant at the same time.

He'd told Neil one morning how beautiful it was, and that he should do something with it. Neil just shook his head.

"I'll play for you, though. One day." He told Eric after a moment, and placed the guitar away slowly, almost thoughtfully.

When he turned twenty-eight, Neil asked him to go to his high school reunion.

"You don't have to if you don't feel like it," Neil said apologetically, already blushing as he told Eric. "I know you're not big on public stuff, and I'm not either, but…" He let the words hang there.

Eric got a brief flash of memory, sounds and feelings from high school flitting across his mind. He remembered high school, knew that it was the worst place to return to. He of all people could remember the fear; the relentless pressure and expectations. He knew Neil didn't stand a chance alone.

He grabbed Neil's hands and smiled reassuringly.

"We can do this." He told Neil. "Because we're going together. Got it?"

A nod was all he got in return, Neil's eyes were watering so badly. Eric realized this must have been harder for him than he'd thought.

He placed his hands around the slimmer man's waist, rubbing small circles there.

"What happened, honey?" He asked after a few moments, knowing it might be too soon in their relationship, but hoping it wasn't.

Neil shuffled a little in his arms, but was quiet for a second. "High school wasn't fun." He said simply, but there were no tears in his voice.

Eric nodded in sympathy. Not like he didn't have a sob story about high school either. He got it.

"It's alright, babe." He told Neil, and normally he wouldn't overdo the terms of endearment, but Neil looked a little pale. Screw the voice in the back of his head.

The other man tried to smile (unsuccessfully) and pressed a kiss to Eric's temple, resting his head there as they both thought about the future silently.  
The night of the reunion, Eric dressed himself as best as possible. Working in the restaurant business had inclined him to suits, so he grabbed his best one and threw it on. Admiring himself in the mirror a few minutes later, he was surprised by Neil's approving eyes reflected behind him.

He turned to find the other man wearing a similar suit, slim cut emphasizing his slender body nicely.

"You good?" He asked Neil simply.

The other man nodded. "Let's go." He said, offering his arm. Eric took it with a smile. Neil was such a romantic.

They walked out to the car together, in suits, arm in arm, without a care in the world who saw them. Whoever hadn't put it together by now would tonight. They might be snubbed for the rest of their lives, but Eric felt they would at least win something.

The high school two towns over Neil went to was oddly familiar to Eric; he'd probably gone to it at some point, he'd been to hundreds, but something felt different. Different than normal dejavu, but not important enough to distract him from Neil, whose hand had clenched tighter and tighter around Eric's as they got closer to the school.

"You alright?" He asked Neil, hoping he didn't sound too worried.

"Yeah." Neil said briskly, strumming out patterns on his pants leg like he did when he got nervous. Eric knew it must have been hard for him to keep his face schooled, admired the talent Neil had when it came to faking bravery.

He knew how it was, after all.

The cars lined up around the block, people getting in and out of them dressed in gowns and expensive suits.

He grinned a little. "What kind of high school did you go to?" He asked Neil jokingly. "All the girls look the same, man."

Neil shook his head a little. "I don't really want to think about it."

"Then why are we here?" He asked gently, hoping Neil would tell him.

"I'm not sure. But I want them to know that I didn't fail at life like they said I would." His face twisted a little at the last sentence.

They stepped out of the car and stood next to each other, facing the building ahead of them.

Eric turned to Neil. "You know I love you, right?" He asked the other man, knowing it was the first time he'd said it.

Neil smiled crookedly. "I know, Leia." He joked nervously, then paused, grabbing Eric's hand in his own. "I love you too."

Eric swallowed and led the way, navigating the strange crowd and shrewd looks he got from the people they passed. Neil's hand was tight in his own, betraying the smaller man's perfect composure.

They entered the gymnasium with broad smiles on their faces, hands still interlocked as they walked slowly to find their table. Stares met them as they paced the tables, but they ignored them. All except for a blonde couple who strolled over like they owned the place.

"Neil?" The blonde girl asked snobbily. "Is that really you?"

The woman stood a couple inches taller than Neil, wobbly high heels clashing terribly with her fuchsia strapless mini.

Neil seemed to lose a little of his confidence, shrinking back into Eric's side as the blonde woman smiled evilly.

The blonde man put a hand on the woman, smile matching hers. "It's Brett and Terry, you remember us?" He asked, not acknowledging Eric at all. He wore his hair in a slightly balding buzz cut, beer bells beginning to show. Eric guessed they had been the top jock and cheerleader. Every school had the type.

Eric coughed loudly, wrapping his left arm around Neil in a display of ownership as he pushed his right hand forward.

"I'm Eric. I don't think we've met." He said fake-politely, putting on a big grin.

The man sneered at Eric, but shook his hand anyway. "Who are you?" He asked, barely being polite anymore.

Eric smiled, taking his time to answer. Neil's face looked back to normal, so he smiled a little at him before looking back at Brett.

"I'm Neil's boyfriend." He said happily, eyeing the small flashes of disgust that flashed across Terry and Brett's face before they composed themselves.

Brett coughed self consciously. "Cool. Don't think you went here." He said, standing awkwardly. Terry put a bright smile on her face.

"It's sooooooo nice to see you tonight, Neil." She told him. "You've changed a lot!" She said crudely, eyes lingering on the arm Eric had around Neil's shoulder.

Eric shared a quick look with Neil, putting concern and love into it.

Neil smiled, standing up a little straighter. He turned to Terry.

"You look a lot older, Terry." He told her politely, but the insult still carried.

"It's been, what, ten years?" He asked, smiling like he didn't know they were playing a game. That little innocent doe-eyed stare had gotten him more times than he could count. Eric snickered to himself in his head, proud of his boyfriend.

Terry's face curled in on itself a little, ugly frown lines appearing as her over-mascara-ed eyes fluttered in indignation. She looked up Neil, trying to find a weakness. Eric knew she wouldn't find one; Neil looked amazing, blue eyes shining with a light he usually only saw when the man had a guitar in his hands.

God he was beautiful.

Brett grabbed his girlfriend (wife?) around the waist, wisely sensing the mood changing. He smiled at the two of them and walked off with her to the punch table, where they could see the pair shouting at each other.

Eric whistled, pulling Neil even closer into his side. "Nice friends you made, Hon." He told the blue-eyed man jokingly, watching the relief on his boyfriend's face. "You all right? We can go home if you want to, you know that."

Neil shook his head. "I'm not scared, darling." He said snarkily, knowing Eric hated being called that. "I don't care."

Eric nodded in approval. "Well, then. Let's get through this, shall we?"

They walked over to the table where their nametags sat, grabbing them together as they tried not to laugh at Terry and Brett who were two tables over, fuming and red faced as they talked furiously to some friends.

Neil looked a little nervous, but Eric patted him on the shoulder and gestured at the large tablecloth covered tables to the side of the dance floor.

"Let's go find our seats, huh?" He said, nudging Neil in the shoulder playfully. The man nodded, and they walked over to the tables together.

Eric smiled as everyone watched them, knowing the two of them were getting a lot of looks for the hand holding. He ignored most of it, but took a small pleasure in the fact that they were turning heads. Maybe not for amazing reasons, but he knew he and Neil made a pretty couple, even if he didn't admit it out loud.

He heard whispers, quiet under the music, but still audible to him. The two of them found their tables after a few seconds and Neil sat down while Eric stood.

Neil gave him a look like he knew what Eric was doing.

"What?" He asked the other man. Neil just shook his head.

"I don't need a watch dog." Neil said cynically, eyes hooded as he watched the door over Eric's shoulder.

Eric sat down dejectedly, watching the other couples on the dance floor. Neil looked tense, like someone worse than Terry and Brett would walk up soon.

"You want some punch?" He asked Neil, who nodded, giving Eric a small smile.

"I'm sorry, babe. I'm not being a very good date." Neil said.

Eric just shrugged, smiling back. "It's fine. You're nervous about it, I know. I'll be right back."

The punch table was crowded, but no one gave Eric a second look as he grabbed two glasses. Turning around, he set the glasses on a nearby table as he straightened his tie, cursing the things for being uncomfortable and hard to use.

He'd just fixed it up and turned to grab the glasses when he slammed into someone, bouncing slightly. He saw stars for a second, and he blinked, trying to clear his head.

"Well, isn't this ironic. Oh, the irony." A voice rumbled above him. He looked up, dazed.

A tall man looked down on him, face obscured by the bright lights of the gymnasium. The man wore a expensive looking white suit, fitted in perfect places to look slim yet muscular. Even the shoes were white.

White teeth flashed as the man smiled at Eric, waving a hand in his face.

"Eric?" The man asked. "You okay, man?"

Eric shook his head, trying to clear the stars. "How do you know my name?" He asked dazedly.

The man smiled again. "You don't remember me?"

Eric shook his head. "I can't see you very well. How the hell are you that tall?"

The man crouched a little, long limbs bending gracefully. "You don't remember me? Think real hard, it'll come to ya." He said humorously.

Eric studied the man's face, feeling a drop in his stomach as he realized who the man in front of him was.

"Sam?" He exclaimed, amazed. The hazel-eyed man laughed again, standing back up to his full height. Soft looking wavy brown hair curled down to his collar, and a pair of multi-colored eyes peered back at him over glasses. A touch of grey hair streaked his temples, but oddly enough, Sam Winchester hadn't changed much.

"Hey, Eric." The older man smiled. "How's it been going?"

Eric wordlessly held out a hand, shaking the taller man's vigorously.  
"I can't believe you're here." Eric said after a moment. "I almost forgot about you." He said breathlessly, astonished.

Sam frowned. "Well, that's not good. I thought I made an impression, too, seeing as I keep running into you. Literally."

Eric burst into laughter at that, surprising the people around them and himself. "I'm sorry about that."

Sam shook his head. "At least you weren't carrying punch. Would hate to ruin this suit."

Eric tilted his head. "Why white?" He asked suddenly.

Sam smiled again instead of complimenting him on his oh so amazing social skills. What was it with this guy and smiling?

"Shows off my amazing tan." He said sarcastically, striking an obscene pose. "Just, why not?" He asked Eric like he knew the answer, knowledgeable eyes sparkling behind the glasses.

Eric shrugged, finding Neil's curious eyes in the crowd. Sam seemed to catch him too, small grin spreading across his face.

"A friend?" He queried, face lighting up.

Eric blushed. "Mr. Winchester, ah, that's my-"

Sam interrupted. "Sam. Call me Sam. Everyone does."

Eric nodded. "That's my boyfriend." he said, blushing even worse.

Sam cooed, but smacked Eric on the arm. "Don't be ashamed of it, Eric. I don't care what anyone else here thinks, anyways."

Sam paused, eyeing Eric like he should be doing something.

"Well?" Sam asked after a moment.

"Ah, what?" Eric asked worriedly, wondering if he'd done something.

"Are you going to introduce me?" He asked excitedly, waving his hands in the air towards Neil. A gold ring flashed on his left hand, but Eric couldn't quite remember why it looked familiar.

"Introduce you?" He asked. "S-sure." He stammered, still hating that the man was taller than him. Hadn't it been years?

He led Sam over to Neil's table, eyes following them as the taller man trailed after Eric. He had no doubt the man made an impression on everyone he met, even though it might not have always been positive.

Neil stood up when Sam got to their table, eyes wide and almost alarmed looking. Sam laughed at his expression, saluting at the younger man.

"At ease, soldier. Jesus, you two are adorable." Sam said as Eric walked over to Neil, who placed a hand in his.

"Sam, this is Neil." He told the psychologist. "Neil, this is a very important friend of mine from a couple years ago." He told Neil.

Neil shook hands with Sam, giving the taller man a tentative smile.

"Nice to meet you, sir." He said quietly. Sam let out a groan, startling Neil.

"Why does everyone call me sir? It's Sam! Y'all make me feel old!" He said, gesturing at the grey in his hair.

Neil smiled a little at his antics, turning to Eric. "Where did you find him?" He asked jokingly.

"You don't really find Sam." He stage whispered back. Sam put on a fake frown.

"Hey, are you guys talking about me? I'll let you know I still have a job here. I can pull rank."

Eric shook his head. "How've you been?" He asked the older man.

"I think the bigger question is how you've been." Sam said cordially, eyes twinkling. "You've been busy?"

Eric nodded. "Yes. I own a restaurant." he said simply, watching the taller man closely.

Sam got a serious look in his eyes for a second, but it passed. "And you settled down eventually? No more high school roulette?"

"Nope." He said, meeting Neil's curious eyes. "Found a place, found Neil. The rest is history."

Sam nodded, eyes going serious again. "And how's your dad?" He asked quietly, looking at Eric almost sadly.

Eric didn't reply for a second. "Dead."

Sam shook his head. "I'm glad you settled down, at least."

Eric looked at Neil again, turning away from the curious eyes. He knew Neil hadn't heard the whole story, but now wasn't the time.

Sam was looking at him when he turned away, knowing look in his eyes, but he said nothing.

"How are you, Sam?" He asked the taller man, hoping they could move on to happier topics. "Still teaching? Scaring the crap outta freshmen?"

Sam opened his mouth, but an arm slid around his waist, cutting him off.

"Sure as hell is." A voice drawled next to Sam. "Still as tall as a mountain, goddamn."

Eric gaped, surprised to see another familiar face. Principal Winchester stood next to Sam, almost as tall but not quite.

Dressed in an all black suit, the two made quite a pair. Winchester's hair was still a bright gold, and like Sam, there was little grey except for near his temples. His face was mostly unlined, but when both men smiled at him, he saw the small crow's feet on both of their eyes.

"Eric, as I live and breathe." Dean said sarcastically, green eyes still as sharp as ever. "How in the hell did you find your way back here?"

Eric was still in minor freak-out mode, gaping at the two men. He couldn't believe he'd forgotten who these two people were.

He saw Neil staring too. The two men were beautiful, he knew, but it was more than that. They shared a strange sort of bond, one that everyone around them could almost see. Eric remembered rings and a picture in an old brown frame but he couldn't remember much else about the two men.

"I'm Dean," Winchester said, reaching a hand out to the now silent Neil.

"Neil." He responded, shaking firmly. The green eyed man smiled slightly as they shook hands.

"You remember Eric, Dean?" Sam asked the other man, smile still on his face like always. He leaned into Sam's arm like it was where he belonged

"Of course," Winchester said. "Sam talked about you a lot after you left."

Eric frowned, turning to Sam. "You talked about me?" he asked, surprised.

Sam blushed a little, but it didn't show much under his tan.

"Yeah, you were interesting. Seemed like you solved a lot of your problems, though, so that's good."

It was Eric's turn to blush, holding Neil next to him. "It is."

Principal Winchester looked at his watch. "It looks like it's almost time for me to give my speech. I hate to break up a conversation…"

Sam cuffed him lightly on the side of the head, but bent down to give him a kiss.

Eric saw Neil startle, eyeing the two men's display in confusion.

"You'll do fine, baby." Sam told the shorter man. "You always do."

Winchester smiled. "I'll see you guys soon. Nice meeting you, Neil." He told Eric's boyfriend.

With that, he walked off, parting the crowd easily. Sam smiled after him sweetly, and Eric could practically feel the love radiating off of him.

"You're…you're together?" Came Neil's shaky voice from next to him.

Sam smiled, holding up his left hand. "Ten years now." He said proudly, gold band glittering on his finger.

Neil swallowed nervously. "But….how?" he asked almost desperately, eyes flashing from the ring to Sam's face and back again. "People don't…make fun of you?"

Sam looked serious. "Yes, they do. It's not easy." He said, sounding as old as a grandfather. "But that should never be a reason not to be together." He told Neil. "I love Dean," He started simply, looking at his husband's retreating figure. "And he loves me. When we got married, we knew it wasn't going to be a ride in the park."

Neil nodded, staring inquiringly into Sam's eyes. "How do you two work together, then? Don't people wonder about the same last name?" He asked curiously, leaning into Eric. Eric smiled and ran his hand through Neil's soft curls, looking at Sam.

Sam gazed at them for a second. "God, you two are cute." He said before speaking. "We keep it professional. People at school know about us, sure, and a lot of them aren't happy about it, but we've never done anything that could be judged as inappropriate. Basically, we've been squeaky clean, so they leave us alone."

Neil looked sad. "But don't you want to be like normal couples?" He asked imploringly.

Sam smiled sadly at the question. "We're as normal as we can be." He said simply, smiling more as Dean took to the stage.

Neil and Eric turned as the spotlights directed at the stage, and the rest of the room went dark. Even from the back of the gym, Winchester's eyes still pierced through everyone present, green and sharp. His pretty face had doubtlessly made many girls swoon, and even today Eric could see a couple of the older women staring at him forlornly.

"Welcome back, all of you," Dean started, waving a hand at the decorations and food. "Can I get a round of applause to the reunion staff that put on such a beautiful party for all of you tonight?"

A roll of clapping echoed across the gym, along with a couple of good-natured hoots.

Winchester smiled as the applause died. "It's been awhile since you guys have been under the same roof. It's a pleasure to see so many familiar faces, and to hear amazing stories of how far each of you have taken life."

He paused. "All of us are proud of you, and while you might not be the same Senior class we sent off ten years ago, we are glad to see you all here today."

A scatter of applause again.

"Well, I'm not going to bore you with the sound of my 'annoying voice' as many of you refer to it as." He said, even though Eric thought his voice was fine, if not a little scary still. "We have a dance floor, a dj.." Dean said, mouth twisting a little around the last word. The crowd paused, unsure if the speech was done.

Dean laughed, raising his hands. "Go have fun!" He said, still laughing. Happy screams could be heard as the music started and women dragged their partners to the dance floor.

Winchester got off the stage, heading to Sam as the room began to move.

The man in the white suit grabbed Dean in a one armed hug and smiled. "You did great." He told the green eyed man. "Not like I'm surprised."

Winchester smiled. "Of course not. I'm awesome, remember?"

Eric saw Neil watching the familiar banter with a small smile on his face. The two older men were adorable, so familiar with each other that their bodies even moved together, like they didn't even notice. Sam twisted slightly while Dean turned to grab a glass from behind him, handing it to Sam as the taller man fixed Winchester's bow tie.

Neil sighed a little, and Eric couldn't help but smile.

"What?" Asked both men, looking worriedly at Neil.

"Nothing." Neil said. "It's just, you two are really nice." He admitted, blushing to the roots of his hair.

Sam laughed loudly, and even Dean smiled, putting an arm around Sam's waist.

"We try." Dean said as Sam kept smiling. The tall man looked around the room, pleased expression on his face as he gazed at the happy ex-students.

Dean looked at Sam then, and the two of them shared a small look as they gazed at their students.

"We'll see you guys later, then." Neil said, grabbing Eric's hand happily. "I'm going to get Eric to dance."

Dean and Sam shook their heads, smiling a little.

"Be careful." Sam said, with Dean nodding along.

Neil frowned, but waved a hand good bye.

Eric got dragged to the dance floor just when the music changed tempo, turning into a slow dance. All of the girls in the crowd squealed and grabbed their husbands again, putting heads on shoulders and arms on hips.

Neil had a hopeful look on his face that Eric knew pretty well, so he grabbed his hands and took him out onto the dance floor.

The other couples were mostly too entranced with the dark blue lights and slow music, but a few sent appraising glances their way.

Neil ignored them, head held high. He greeted anyone he knew with a smile, and then grabbed Eric's hands to put on his hips.

Eric glanced down at Neil as they danced. "You sure about this?" He asked tentatively.

Neil looked up at him, eyes sparkling in the lights. "Yeah." He said softly, "I'm sure."

They danced for hours, it seemed, in their own little world. Eric knew that they'd only been dancing for a song or two, but it all blended together. All he could see was Neil, and the other people just faded away.

After a while, they left the dance floor, walking back to the darker, empty side of the room. There was an empty table there, so Neil and Eric sat down, sweaty and happy.

"That was fun." Eric admitted after a few seconds.

Neil just smiled and nodded, bringing Eric in for an uncharacteristic kiss.

Eric was just enjoying the moment, wrapped up in Neil when he heard a man's voice behind him.

"Faggot." It said softly, but it carried over to them, making Neil flinch. Eric saw red, turning around to yell at whoever it was.

He saw Brett standing there with Terry, looking snide and unapologetic.

"What did you just say?" He asked coldly, stepping forward slowly.

Brett smirked. "Nothing. I didn't hear anything."

Neil looked furious. "I heard you!" He said indignantly.

Brett kept smirking, and Terry smiled before speaking up.

"Oh well. It's not like anyone would care, anyways." She said, looking at her nails in the clichéd Disney movie way.

Eric made a noise in the back of his throat. "Excuse me?"

She looked up innocently. "Oh? Nothing."

Brett was still smiling, but there was a rougher edge to it.

"Why don't you guys just head on home?" Brett 'suggested'.

Neil stood up straighter, showing off an unusual temper. "The hell we will! We're allowed to be here!"

Brett shook his head. "We didn't want you then and we don't want you now. Go away." He said, eyes sharp. "Faggot." He muttered, eyeing Eric as he said it.

Neil broke free of the hold Eric had put him in, and was about to take a step forward when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Stop it." Sam said, white suit glowing in the dark corner. "That's more than enough. Brett, I want you in my office right now." He told the other man, waving a hand at the protest he made. "I don't care that you're not a student here anymore. I'll call the Principal down here if necessary, understood?"

Brett shuffled, muttering something under his breath.

"I'm sorry?" Sam asked sharply. "I didn't quite catch that."

Brett scowled. "I don't care about his gay ass either. I'm not scared of you homos."

Sam's face went dark, but he didn't reply. He just motioned sharply to the exit from the gym, giving Terry a pointed look. The woman got the message and left quickly, wobbling away on her heels.

As they watched Sam leave, Principal Winchester walked up, concerned look on his face.

"What happened, boys?" He asked quietly, green eyes concerned.

Eric shook his head. "Brett decided to have a few words with Sam." He said, trying to reassure the man. Dean almost looked nervous.  
"Nothing to worry about."

Dean nodded. "Are you guys alright?"

Neil looked up at him. "Yeah."

"Good." Winchester said, and Eric could almost see a glimmer of worry in his eyes.

"He's like, what, six five?" He asked Dean. "He'll be fine."

Dean nodded again, and suddenly the mask was back on and the worried look was gone. "Well, I'd better go find him." He said firmly, like it was something he always did.

They waved as he left, and sat back at the nearby table a little shaken.

Neil looked troubled, lips still a little pink. Eric wanted nothing more than to grab him in a hug, but Sam's words reverberated in his head.

"We're as normal as we can be."

Grabbing Neil's hand under the table, he gave it a quick squeeze.

"You okay?"

Neil sighed and nodded. "I'm just worried about Sam now. He didn't have to defend us like that."

Eric grinned reassuringly. "Sam's the tallest person I know. It'll be okay. And I totally would've defended us if I were him."

Neil nodded. It looked like he was calming down a little now, the blue eyes were less wide and the angry flush to his cheeks was gone.

They sat there for a while, dancing mood obliterated by a few small words.

It felt silly, their early enthusiasm about who would care. They had each other, sure, but what happened when it really was just the two of them?

The songs kept playing, and people kept dancing. No one noticed Brett's absence, and when they looked, Terry was already dancing with another man.

Eric noticed and snorted, pointing her out to Neil.

"Guess she moves on quickly." He said, grinning.

Neil looked and smiled too. "That's her ex from high school."

Eric had a good laugh at that, but Sam hadn't returned yet, and that made him sort of nervous. He hadn't seen Dean either, but he knew they had to be somewhere.

After about an hour of waiting, he patted Neil on the shoulder and told him he was going to the bathroom.

"I'll be back in like ten minutes." He said quickly before getting up, nervous tension turning into adrenaline as he walked towards the exit, trying to remember how the school was laid out.

The hallway looked unfamiliar, but when he turned around the corner, a sign spelling out 'office' in dark blue letter sparked a memory in him, so he entered.

There was a long hallway, like he remembered. On each side there were offices, but all the offices were dark except the last one.

Eric could hear Sam's voice, reassuring and calm, thankfully. He heard Dean's after a second, and was about to enter what he found was Sam's office when he heard another voice.

"This is so stupid. I'm not even in college anymore!"

Came Brett's voice from behind the door, angry and almost comically pissed off sounding.

"I got that," Came Dean's voice sarcastically. "But I told you then and I'll tell you again; we don't tolerate bullying T this school. In any way."

Silence, the. Sam spoke.

"I don't care if your father calls. I spoke to him years ago when we sat here. I really don't care that he's the most important person in this town, either. You need to stop this."

"It was Terry too!" Said Brett, sounding every bit the four year old he wasn't. "You can't just blame me for this!"

Eric leaned against the wall, trying to hear better. By the shadows, it looked like all the men were standing.

"We will deal with Terry separately." Sam said. "What we don't get is why you're continuing this after so many years."

"I don't have to talk to you about this." Brett said. "I'm going to go back to the dance and you can't stop me."

"You're absolutely right." Dean said coldly, causing even Eric to shudder a little. "But you walk out that door and you'll stay exactly as you are for the rest of your life."

There was a pause. "What the hell are you talking about? There's nothing wrong with me!" Brett said angrily, and Eric heard footsteps.

"Brett-" Sam started to say, sounding forgiving even when he was angry. "Let's not do it this way-"

He was silenced by a crack, the smack of flesh on flesh, and Eric gasped silently as the whole room seemed to pause.

"I'm going." Brett said somewhat shakily. "Leave me alone."

Brett appeared outside of the room then, face pale as he walked towards the exit, completely oblivious to Eric.

With a small click, Brett had left the office. Eric leaned into the doorway to see what had happened.

Sam was still standing, thank god, but a small trickle of blood ran down his face from a cut just underneath his eye.

Eric's dad had always told him not to hit a man with glasses.

Dean was standing next to Sam, holding a small napkin agains the cut as Sam reassured him calmly.

"It's okay, Dean. We just pushed him a little too much. I'm fine." He said as Dean prodded at the wound, green eyes worried and almost vulnerable.

"Sam, I'm going to go grab that kid by the scruff of his neck and-"

Sam put a hand on his lips, eyes a little dazed. "No, you're not going to do anything. I'm going to go get cleaned up, and then we're going to enjoy the rest of the party."

"Sam, I'm tired of this happening to you. Don't you ever get tired of it happening to YOU?"

Sam's face went dark. "This is nothing like him." He said, and it was almost scarier than Dean's tone. "I'm fine, Dean. Please, just relax." He pleaded, looking even younger when he took his glasses off to wipe the blood away.

Eric could feel Dean's anger from the door, it was so palpable. He grabbed Sam's face in his hands and kissed him tenderly, like he was afraid he would break.

Eric felt like he was intruding, watching such a sweet scene uninvited, but the two of them were almost magical, the affection between them, the care alone.

Once they stopped kissing, Dean pressed their foreheads together, letting themselves just rest against each other. They both had their eyes closed, but the sadness and anger was still visible.

After a minute, Dean grabbed the blood spotted napkin and threw it into the trash, walking along the side of the desk until he was almost at the door.

"I'm just going to throw another jacket on and meet you out there." Sam told Dean, gesturing at the fresh blood on his beautiful white suit. His eyes flashed across the room as Dean checked him over, and they widened as they landed on Eric, but Sam didn't say anything.

Dean still looked furious, but slightly calmer, and he just nodded, stalking out of the office. He almost ran into Eric, who had the sense to look like he was just showing up.

"Eric!" Dean said politely, smile back in place. "Looking for Sam?"

Eric smiled back. "Yeah, just wondering where you guys were. Is it okay if I talk to Sam?"

A quick flash of hesitation crossed Dean's face, but he nodded. "Sure, just wait a few seconds. I think he had a bloody nose or something." He said with a smile, like he didn't know the truth. Eric had to admire the man's acting abilities; he wouldn't have doubted him if hadn't known the truth already.

"Thanks, sir." He said, leaning against the door frame as the taller man left.

"Come in," Sam said, and Eric found him rubbing his glasses with a cloth as he smiled weakly at Eric. There was still a little blood on his cheek.

"So, you saw all that?" He asked Eric, for once not looking him in the eyes, appearing almost small as he rubbed his glasses, shoulders hunched. The beautiful jacket was over the side of the table, blood stains hidden from view.

"Yeah." Eric said after a beat, remembering he actually had to respond in order for this to be a conversation.

Sam sighed. "You know, that could've been you?

It felt like he'd just been punched in the stomach.

"What?" He asked shakily, watching Sam frown at a petulant spot on the lens of his glasses.

"Yeah," Sam said. "It could have." At Eric'a dumbfounded look, he gave a small smile.

"Don't look so upset, it wouldn't be too terrible. You'd have a McMansion, a nice job, and of course, a wife like Terry. It wouldn't be terrible." He repeated almost bitterly, voice so different from his normal tone that Eric felt like he was looking at a completely different person.

"Sam..." Eric said. "Who were you talking about before, when you told Dean it was 'nothing like him'?"

Sam shook his head, eyes obscured behind his newly cleaned glasses.

"Every teacher has their secrets, am I right?" He asked after a second. "Besides, I have a feeling you came here more to talk about you and Neil, not an old man's ghosts."

Eric smirked. "You're not that old!" He exclaimed, trying to cheer the taller man up. The other man let out a surprised burst of laughter, smiling at Eric.

"Not yet, honey." He said, flirting obscenely with an imaginary person in front if him. "I still got it!"

Eric laughed, and Sam turned to him.

"Thanks, I needed that. Now, how can I help you?"

Eric sat down on the couch, and damn if it wasn't the same couch from ten years ago.

"Do you think there's hope? For Neil and me?" He asked after a second. "I mean, I always feel like I'm going to mess something up and then something bad happens. Like now." He said, gesturing towards Sam's face.

Sam's face was thoughtful.

"No." He said, shocking Eric. "I don't think there's hope for you."

Eric gaped at him. "How can you say that?" He asked after a second.

Sam smiled at him. "I know there's hope. Your life is exactly as you make it, Eric. I told you once I wouldn't leave you with a line to meditate on, but I think I will now. There are setbacks and they fucking suck sometimes, but we deal. I can't give you more than that."

Eric nodded along with Sam, running a hand along his dress pants absently.

"Is this the part where we smile, hug and have a chick click moment?" Sam asked sarcastically, humor in his eyes.

Eric shook his head, laughing. "No."

Sam smiled. "Alright then. Lets get back to the party, huh?" He asked, shrugging into another white jacket.

Eric smiled at the way Sam could just brush off everything.

"Alright."

* * *

A/N To be continued! Probably tomorrow! Just wanted to get this part out. Leave me a review? It would mean a lot.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Super thanks to kuramalover011 and my amazing beta (who hasn't been returning my texts, love you honey! :p)

Thanks to the awesome reviewers! As always, they make my freaking day. Here's the last chapter!

* * *

They exited together, and Eric was surprised to find Neil and Dean talking together at their abandoned table.

"Sammy!" Dean said when he saw them. "How's it going?"

Sam smiled at his husband's slightly goofy expression. "It goes well." He said, sitting down next to Neil. "I don't need to defend my husband now, do I?" He asked Neil mock seriously.

Neil blushed and shook his head. "Nope."

They sat there in content silence for a while, just watching the old students dance and talk. Eric studied every face at the table, knowing the night would end soon and not wanting to forget.

Dean's expression caught his eyes first, surprisingly. He looked intensely old for a second, eyes weathered and dull as he rested his head against Sam's shoulder. Sam murmured something in his ear and he smiled, years dropping away as a smile split his face, green eyes lighting up.

Dean didn't notice him watching, and a hand crept up the side of Sam's face softly, lovingly grasping Sam's jaw.

Eric was pretty sure if Dean knew he was being watched he'd stop, but this one moment of vulnerability looked good on him; he almost seemed to glow a little as he pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Sam's mouth.

Neil was nearby, blue eyes luminous in the dark corner. He was gazing at his hands, but he didn't look bored. He seemed at ease with the moment, like when he played in the mornings.

Sam was last, and Eric didn't know why this man was so special. So many people loved him; Dean most of all. Yet Sam was the most caring person Eric knew. He'd pulled him off of a ledge he had denied for most of his life, and if that thought wasn't scary enough, Eric didn't know what was.

Sam looked hopeful, sure, that was his natural expression, but there was a twinge of sadness mixed in there as well. The glasses reflected the dj's lights, obscuring his expressive eyes behind two lenses, but he seemed deep in thought.

Eric knew he wasn't the only one thinking about the past and future tonight, apparently.

Two tables over, Brett sat with a slightly guilty expression on his face, eyeing Sam every once and a while to see if the taller man was angry.

Sam didn't look angry, even though Eric felt a small part of him get mad. Why hadn't Sam gotten Brett arrested? How could he just sit two tables over from the man and do absolutely nothing?

Eric figured it had to be one of those things Sam said he needed to figure out for himself.

They left a few minutes later, bidding farewells to the other couple. Sam smiled radiantly at them, small cut almost unremarkable as he grinned.

Neil walked with Dean to the door while Sam talked to Eric as they brought the car up to the doors.

"So, where do you guys live?" Sam asked politely.

"Ah, a few towns over. I own the restaurant there."

Sam smiled at him, and Eric couldn't help but think it was fatherly. He wondered who Sam's father had been, but didn't ask.

"I'm proud of you, Eric." Sam said. "You've seen how some people use ten years. You made the best of a decade. Some haven't learned how to yet."

Eric cleared his throat. "Isn't that a little heavy for tonight?" He asked jokingly, grabbing his keys and placing them in the lock.

"Absolutely." Sam said in reply. "Can I ask you a question anyways?"

Baffled, Eric nodded. "Sure."

Sam frowned. "Send us an invite, okay?"

"Invite?" Eric asked, confused as Sam broke out into little giggles. Seriously, giggles.

"Yeah," Sam said. "If you haven't figured it out already, you will sooner or later."

Eric felt like there was something he wasn't getting, but a night of dancing and three glasses of sugary punch were weighing him down a little.

"Okay." He promised. "Whatever you say, Sam."

Sam smirked. "I wish Dean was this agreeable in bed."

Eric coughed violently, getting his breath back only to squeak out "Excuse me?!"

Sam smiled, slapping him on the shoulder. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

Eric waved him off, getting in the car and pulling up to where Dean stood with Neil. Sam walked up behind him, white suit flashing in the night.

"Well, have fun kids." Dean said drolly. "Don't drink and drive, stay in school-oh wait. Ah, no tattoos in visible places, banana peels help mosquito bites. Yadayada."

Sam slung an arm around Dean, waving as Neil got in the car. "Ignore him! I'm the real doctor!"

Eric waved and honked back, pulling Neil in for a quick kiss as he got in. There were some whistles and shouts outside.

Sam and Dean were kind of crazy. Mostly Sam, though.

"Get a room!" Sam said, grinning widely.

Eric flipped him off through the window, but waved good bye as they pulled out of the driveway. It hasn't been the first time he'd flipped off a principal before.

Two sets of eyes watched the car for longer than its occupants knew, solemnly gazing after the car before walking back into the building, unclasping hands as they neared the students.

They turned before they reached the building, watching the empty road for a second.

"What do you think they're going to do?" Sam asked Dean quietly after a second, looking into his lover's eyes.

Dean shook his head, then smiled. "What did we do?"

"Well, we got here, so it doesn't really matter, huh?"

Dean, the esteemed principal of a high school, smacked Sam upside the head and pouted mockingly.

"No need to make it sound so Disney, Jesus." He said, but grabbed Sam's hand as they looked at the night.

They didn't say anything, but Sam squeezed Dean's hand in a way they both knew meant _I love you._

Dean squeezed back.

_I love you too._

* * *

A/N And it's done! Review, anyone? I'd appreciate even one. This was a lot of fun to write, anyways. Thank you guys!


End file.
